Conveyer for removing pipe from galvanizing baths



M. L.. ECKMAN A495093 coNvEYER FOR REMQVING PIPE mom GALVANIZING xmas wan. 17, 195ol Filed July 9, 3.946

A INVENTOR. MERIL L. ECKMAN A'omys.

Patented Jan. 17, 1-950 CONVEYER FOR REMOVING PIPE FROM GALVANIZING BATES Meril L. Eckman, Canton, Ohio, asslgnor to Republic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 9, 1946, Serial N0. 682,269

(Cl. Sil-59.4)

5 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to conveying apparatus and is particularly concerned with an automatic conveyor for removing metal shapes from liquid baths and removing undesired adhering liquid from said shapes.

In the commercial practice of galvanizffng ferrous metal pipes, there has long existed a demand for means which would enable the rapid, continuous removal of pipes from galvanizing baths, and would automatically and rapidly accomplish internal and external wiping of the pipes free from' excess molten zinc. The present invention meets this problem, as is shown by the fact that in one instance it increased the production rates of galvanizing pipe by over 30%.

The present invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an assembly of apparatus embodying the present invention with certain parts omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly of Fig. 1 with certain other parts removed;

Figure 3 is an elevational View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of automatic means for shifting one of the two similar shiftable supporting elements of the conveyor.

The apparatus of this invention generally comprises a pipe carrying frame, means for moving said frame and means for automatically actuating said frame moving means.

The illustrated apparatus of my invention more specifically comprises a galvanizing bath vessel Z, pipe carrying frame I, means including air cylinders 2 for moving the frame, a switch 3, for actuating said moving means, and an air ring R for air wiping pipes to be placed upon said frame I.

The frame I is situated adjacent the galvanizing bath Z and comprises a pair of spaced, horizontally disposed shafts 4, an I-beam 5 above said shafts, two slidable brackets 6 movably attached to said I-beam, and two channel brackets 1 movably connected to said I-beam through said slidable brackets. and permanently connected to said shafts. The shafts 4 are situated in different horizontal planes and describe an upwardly extending path from the galvanizing bath vessel Z, and carry rollers 8 which are rotatably secured to said shafts. The spacing of the shafts is such that the pipes to be carried by the frame are somewhat longer than the distance separating the shafts, but not so much longer that the pipe cannot be balanced on the frame.

In addition to the air cylinders 2, the frame moving means comprises pistons T disposed in said cylinders and piston rods 9 secured to said pistons and to channel brackets 1. The air cylinders are disposed substantially horizontally above the respective shafts 4 and are secured to I-beams 5 by means of brackets II. These air cylinders are of conventional construction and are each provided with a pair of ports I0 for admission of air under pressure to eiect axial movement of the pistons and the attached piston rods. Each air cylinder is connected to a source of air under pressure through a, conventional solenoid valve V for controlling the flow of air to the cylinder. These valves V operate to move the pistons alternately from one extremity to the opposite extremity of the cylinders. The pistons are synchronized so that with each actuation of the valves, the two pistons and the rods 9 attached thereto are moved with respect to the I- beam and cylinders in the same direction and to the same extent.

The switch 3 is suitably a part of an electric circuit for actuation of the said valves V and resulting movement of the channel bracket 1 is accomplished electrically by means of that circuit. The switch is so disposed with respect to the frame that pipes moving along the frame from the vessel Z engage the switch and close the electric circuit.

The switch 3 and two steam jets I2 for injecting high velocity steam into pipes upon the frame are attached to, and supported by, a bracket I3 which is secured to I-beam 5. The steam jets are connected by means of a header I4 and a exible hose I5 to a source of steam under pressure (not shown). `These jets are provided with regulating valves which may be actuated by levers I6, and are disposed upon each side of the switch for alternate registry with pipes carried by the frame.

Two suction chambers 2D are disposed adjacent to vessel Z and each has ducts (not shown) for registry with a pipe in register with one of the steam jets I2. These chambers are suitably maintained under negative pressure in operation by motor driven fans a.

This apparatus also includes a pipe driving unit comprising a motor 2l, motor driven rollers 22 and 23, and means for adjusting upper rollers to accommodate various size pipe. This latter means includes a pair of screws engaged threadwise with the driving unit housing 26 and blocks 21 secured to the upper rollers and to the screws.

A perforate, ring-shaped, hollow metal member R., having an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the pipes to be carried by the frame I, is attached to the driving unit housing 26 by means of a bracket 3|. This ring is disposed above the zinc bath contained in vessel Z and is provided with an opening for communication through a hose 33 with a, source of air under pressure.

As illustrated, the apparatus is also provided with operatorsplatforms O disposed adjacent to and on either side of the frame I.

In the operation of the equipment, a pipe P is manually withdrawn from the zinc bath and is passed through the air ring R and into contact with the rollers 22 and 23 of the driving unit which are moving in response to driving force of the motor 2|. The pipe is-thereby propelled up the inclined frames I, engaging rollers 8 until contacting switch 3. Upon actuation of switch, the frame I is then shifted sidewise until the pipe is in register with one of thesteam jets I2 and with the opposed suction duct. Steam is then released from the said jet upon operation of lever I6. While the pipe is thus being internally wiped free from excessive molten zinc, which is blown from the pipe by steam and collected within the suction chamber 20, a second pipe P' is selected and likewise guided through said air ring, being blown free from excessive zinc, which falls back into the zinc bath. This second pipe is engaged by the driving rollers 22 and 23 and urged up the incline of the frame into the position illustrated in Fig. 1. When this second pipe reaches the upper end of the frame and engages the switch 3, the frame I is moved laterally to its original position and the second pipe is then in registry with the other steam jet I2 stand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is deiined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor for elongated articles comprising rollers spaced apart a distance lessthan the length of the said articles and disposed with axes substantially parallel to each other, means for moving an elongated article in supporting contact with said rollers in a direction perpendicular to said roller axes, means for moving said rollers longitudinally along their axes, and means including a switch located beyond the rollers in the direction of movement of an article on the rollers and engageable by the leading end of an elongated article on said rollers for actuating said roller moving means.

2. A conveyor for elongated articles comprisi ing rollers spaced apart a distance less than the and the opposed suction chamber 20. Steam is then released from said jet in similar manner and with similar effect to that described above.

The operator removes the first pipe before the second pipe encounters the switch 3 to return the frame I to its original position, and may dispose of said iirst pipe by lowering it to a suitable conveyor by which it is carried elsewhere for further processing.

After pipe P has been removed from the frame, a third pipe is similarly brought from the galvanizing bath onto the frame through the air ring R and motor driven rollers 22 and 23.

Various modifications of the apparatus of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention. Such modifications, 35

however, are contemplated by the appended claims. For instance, instead of the frame being inclined as illustrated, it may be substantially horizontal. Also, the air cylinder actuating means may not include an electrical circuit, as described, but may include instead a mechanical or pneumatic mechanism or a combination of such mechanisms.

. Having thus described my invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to underlength of the said articles and disposed with axes substantially parallel to each other, means for moving an elongated article in supporting contact with said rollers in a direction perpendicular to said roller axes, means for axially moving said rollers, and means including a switch for actuating said latter moving means, said rollers being grooved to receive and guide the said elongated article in its movement along the said conveyor, and said switch being disposed to operatively engage said article when it reaches a predetermined position on said conveyor.

3. A pipe conveyor comprising grooved pipe receiving rollers spaced apart a distance less than the length of said pipe and disposed with axes substantially parallel to each other, means to move the pipe endwise onto said conveyor perpendicularly to the axes of said rollers, means for simultaneously axially reciprocating said rollers to the same extent, and means including a switch for actuating the said reciprocating means and moving the rollers from one extreme position to another with each actuation of the switch, said switch being disposed in position to be engaged by the leading end of said pipe when the pipe reaches a predeterminediposition on said conveyor.

4. .Apparatus of the class described comprising means for propelling a pipe endwise along a predetermined line of travel, a frame, horizontal parallel shafts supported by said frame and spaced apart along said line of'travel a distance less than the length of said pipe and extending transversely of said line oi travel, pipe supporty ign rollers rotatably mounted in axially spaced relation on each shaft, the rollers on each shaft being arranged in sets parallel to said line oi' travel, means including a cylinder and a piston therein for moving said frame transversely of said line of travel, and means including a, switch actuatable by the leading end of said pipe to energize said frame moving position.

5. In apparatus for galvanizing pipe including means' for endwise propelling pipe containing a newly deposited metal coating along a predetermined line oi' travel, the combination of a frame above said line of travel, horizontal parallel shafts suspended from said frame and spaced apart along said line of travel a distance less than the length of said pipe and extending transversely of said line of travel, a pair of pipe supporting rollers rotatably mounted in axially spaced relation on each shaft, the rollers of each pair being arranged in two sets parallel to said line of travel, two fluid carrying conduits disposed parallel to and on opposite sides o! said line ot travel, means including a. cylinder and a piston therein for moving said trame transversely of said line of travel to bring one set of said rollers into posi'- tion to receive a pipe when propelled endwise and a pipe on the other set of rollers into alignment with one oi.' said iluid carrying conduits for discharge of uid under pressure into said pipe to remove surplus liquid from the inner surface thereof, and means including a switch actuatable by the leading end of the pipe being propelled to energize said frame moving piston.

MERIL L. ECKMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

